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7.9.2001
This is Balkan

Albania – Finland 0-2
Finland – Hellas 5-1

Finlands international campaign for World Cup is lost. We won comfortably and played good football but it was not in our own hands anymore. It feels bad to be left out because I really think we now had the team to do some big business. We played good qualifications which was not enough in tough group this time. However some results and games still feel bitter, even unlucky. The hunger remains.
Albania is the holiday place number one. Not. It is the place with memories from the 70´s and suspicious smelling food. With no fence I felt that the circumstances were as hard opponent as the Albanians were. We played a routine game and with the solid second half performance got our three points.
Before we travelled we were told that anything can happen, because this is Balkan. And Balkan it was. The revenge came in the airport. By refusing all the possible credit cards (who is this Visa anyway?) and other arrangements of paying the fuel, our final call was hours late. Only dollars will do. Airline company needed 2000 dollars for this normally worldwide so easy and standard procedure. Players, stuff, supporters and press all gave the currency they had and behind the plane in the dark the cash changed the owner. My contribution was minor. I had only two pounds and a library card. I was told to not worry and continue to play cards with other poor players.
Helsinki, Finland, the home of good international team, funny people and me. I always have great time there. Specially now when the game was a beauty also. I don’t think there are many teams that comes to Finland as favourites anymore. At home we rule. Greeks were probably surprised that Zorbas -dance was not much respected in the field. It was all about Finnish rhythms this time. From the beginning to the end there were no question about the winner.
There are games that you are on the zone. Everything seems so clear and you feel strong and can see the situations long before they happen. In Albania I was definitely not on this zone. In the home game I had the day. Not just scoring but the game felt easy and I had so much fun for 90 minutes.
Lately I have been asked millions of times why I score now so much. Well, I have always done some. However I can assure that every time it is a pure luck, crappy goals or perfect service from the other players. And nobody thinks that the blond could be any dangerous. Yes, my paleness is due to that I have been in the shadows of the good players. I don’t even wan to be tanned.

This week I recommend:
1.Library card
2.Hotel Kalastajatorppa
3.Paleness
4.Finnish rhythms

I do not recommend:
1.Taking Visa –card to Albania
2.Travelling with taxi
3.Suspicious smelling foods


Next one is a derby,

Aki